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Garai

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Garay or Garai (Croatian and Serbian: Gorjanski) were a noble family in the Kingdom of Hungary, a branch of the Dorozsma (Duružmić) clan, with notable members in the 14th and 15th centuries. They were lords of Csesznek.

Name and origin

The name means of Gara / Gorja (modern village of Gorjani near Đakovo), their estate. By origin the Garai family was Magyar (Hungarian), but since they frequently administered the southern regions of the Lands of the Crown of St. Stephen, the South Slavic rendition of the surname is often used.

Notable members of the family

Nicholas I's branch of the family

Nicholas I Garay (Croatian/Serbian: Nikola I Gorjanski, Hungarian: Garai Miklós I), the chief governor of Bratislava, was a palatine to the King of Hungary (1375-1385). He was killed in 1386.

Nicholas I's first son John Garay (Ivan Gorjanski, Garai János; 1371-1429) was the governor of Temesiensis and Pozsega banates.

Nicholas I's second son Nicholas II Garay (Nikola II Gorjanski, Garai Miklós II; 1367-1433) was the ban of Mačva, Usora, Soli (modern Tuzla), Slavonia, Croatia, Dalmatia, and married to Jelena Lazarević, daughter of Serbian Prince Lazar. In 1396 he fought the Ottomans in the Battle of Nicopolis which was lost due to others' errors. In 1416 Sigismund extended their armorial bearings showing the Order of the Dragon and the Order of the Scarf. He presented the patent to his brother-in-law Garai Miklós. Nicholas II's granddaughter Anna was engaged to Matthias Corvinus.

Nicholas II's son, László II Garay (1410-1459) was a Palatine of the Kingdom of Hungary (1447-1458). Based on an agreement with the Hunyadi family he originally supported Matthias Hunyadi as king. Later when Hunyadi did not keep the bargain the barons of the Garai party opposed Matthias Hunyadi.

Nicholas I also married his daughters well: Ilona was married to the magnate Nicholas Széchy, and Dorothea married Nicholas Frankopan, ban of Croatia and Dalmatia.

Paul Garay's branch of the family

Nicholas I's uncle, Paul Garay (Croatian: Pavao Gorjanski, Hungarian: Garai Pál, Serbian: Pavle Gorjanski; 1280-1353), was also a ban of Mačva. His successors to this position were his son-in-law John Alsáni and his grandson Paul Alsáni.